6 Werewolf Movies Leading the Pack

Howling, transformation, savagery, full moons. Who doesn’t love a good werewolf story?

The werewolf is an enduring figure in folklore and pop culture.

Werewolves have survived in human imagination for centuries and the duality of these creatures continues to capture our attention in horror fiction. From loving, loyal, and sometimes comedic figures, to shapeshifting, violent, uncontrollable beasts, we identify with these monsters on a primal level.

Werewolf movies have been around almost as long as moving pictures have been.

Werewolves have been leading the pack from as early as 1917 in the silent, black and white Italian movie Il Lupo. They continue to lope through movies during the 20th century – The Wolfman (1941), An American Werewolf in London (1981) – right up into the 21st century and the present day.

But, despite our fascination with them, really good werewolf movies are hard to find.

Many werewolf movies are more corny than scary, more chuckle than bite. Special effects are laughable and the werewolves look more like dogs than manic beasts who’ll tear you apart. Too often, werewolves play second fiddle to creatures such as vampires (Underworld and Twilight). Werewolves have even been supporting characters for Frankenstein, Dr Jekyll, Dracula, and Godzilla.

So, here’s a selection of serious werewolf movies that rate more than 50% on IMDB and Amazon. Hopefully, they’ll have you looking over your shoulder next time you’re walking through the park under the moonlight.

Especially when you hear that howl that sounds awfully close.

A Werewolf Boy (2012)

“Some instincts can never be tamed”

A Werewolf Boy is a Korean movie in which an elderly woman recalls an orphan boy from 47 years ago.

The boy, who was mute and feral, had been genetically spliced with wolf DNA by a scientist.

The woman tames him and teaches him to live amongst people. However, the boy transforms into a werewolf when the woman is threatened by a self-centred man who tries to claim her as his wife.

Be warned: This movie is sad.

A Werewolf Boy (Amazon)

Dog Soldiers (2002)

“Jaws, Aliens and Predator with a werewolf twist”

In Dog Soldiers, a squad of British soldiers on a training exercise in Scotland find the bloody remains of their opponents.

They barely manage to get away from the beasts and team up with a zoologist in a battle for survival.

Dog Soldiers (Amazon)

Silver Bullet (1985)

“Part human. Part wolf. Total terror”

Silver Bullet is based on Stephen King’s story, Cycle of the Werewolf.

A wheelchair-bound boy realises that werewolves are the cause of the spate of sudden deaths in his small town.

He teams up with his uncle to try to stop the beast before the next full moon.

Silver Bullet (Amazon)

Late Phases: Night of the Lone Wolf (2014)

“When the moon is full, the hunt is on”

Late Phases: Night of the Lone Wolf has an unusual twist on the werewolf trope.

A blind veteran moves into a retirement community and finds out that residents have been dying from dog attacks.

He barely survives an attack himself and believes the dogs are not just dogs.

He has one month until the next full moon to prepare for what comes next.

Late Phases (Amazon)

Romasanta (2004) aka Werewolf Hunter: Romo Santa (2005)

Romasanta is based on a real serial killer from 1850s Spain who, after he was caught, claimed he was a werewolf.

Mutilated bodies are found and people are going missing.

Romasanta is a travelling salesman who charms his victims before slaughtering them.

When a woman’s sister and niece go missing, the woman believes he’s killed them and she’s determined to bring him to justice.

Romasanta (Amazon)

Werewolf: The Beast Among Us (2012)

Werewolf: The Beast Among Us is set in a 19th-century village.

A doctor’s apprentice joins a group of bounty hunters searching for a werewolf.

A gypsy tells them they have only two days to work out who the beast is before the solstice, at which time the creature will be able to control its transformation at will.

Werewolf (Amazon)